IS IT RUDE TO POINT?

摘要

Ideally the finished mortar joint should lie about three millimetres back from the face of the stonework or brickwork. Perhaps the most important criterion for the long-term future of the building is that the pointing mortar be both softer and more porous than the masonry. This is the only way to ensure that the wetting and drying cycles are dealt with by the mortar and not the actual fabric of the building. The relative softness and porosity of the mortar will also reduce potential problems associated with the growth of salt crystals within the pore structure of the stone or brick. A soft and porous mortar will enable salts to be drawn to the surface of the masonry without damaging the stone or brickwork.